The Church

The Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian church and around 1.3 billion people identify as Catholic.

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the successor of Saint Peter. As such, the Holy Father is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth.

In this section we also have information about the Pope, the Holy See, the Apostolic Nuncio to the UK as well as the governance structure and administration of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

The Pope

The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and of the faithful - Lumen Gentium, 23.

The Vatican

The Holy See, or the Vatican as it is sometimes known, is the 'seat of government' of the universal Catholic Church.

Bishops' Conference

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales is the permanent assembly of Catholic Bishops and Personal Ordinaries in the two member countries.

Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain

The Apostolic Nuncio represents the Holy Father to the Church in the UK. His role is equivalent to that of an ambassador, representing the Holy See to the UK Government - the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James's.

Liturgical Seasons

Content relating to the liturgical seasons of the Church, excluding Ordinary Time, such as Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.